Header support mechanism for harvesters



Sept. 22, 1959 R. L. BELL 2,904,949

HEADER SUPPORT MECHANISM FOR HARVESTERS Filed Sept. 19, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

A O 4 54 MM Sept. 22, 1959 R. L. BELL 2,904,949

HEADER SUPPORT MECHANISM FOR HARVESTERS Filed Sept. 19, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

,9 z. [94/ BY MM Sept. 22, 1959 R. L. BELL 2,904,949

HEADER SUPPORT MECHANISM F01 HARVESTERS Filed Sept. 19, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTOR.

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'iil'nited States Patent Office Patented Sept. a2, 1959 HEADER SUPPORT :MEfiHANlSM :F'oR

.HARVESTERS Roy 1.. nan, Kahlotus, Wash.

Application September :19, 1957;, Serial Ni). "685,034 Claims. (CL 56-209) My invention relates "to a header support mechanism for harvesters. FIt isnow common in pushtype self propelled 'comb'ine harvesters that are used in hillside areas to swivel the header with respect to the separator in order that the header may follow the ground contour while the separator remains upright. .In most cases the pivot connection is made at the .point where the header spout connects to the header. Examples of this construction are found in the U.S. .patent to Harp, No. 2,753,675., and the U58. patent to Kro'll 'and Farber No. 2,780,903. In these constructions with which I am familiar a ring of channel shape is mounted on a header and roller supporting units fit insidethe channel to carry the/header, the roller supporting units being mounted on the header spout, or the situation is reversed and the roller supporting units are mounted on the header and run inthe channel of a ring mourited on the header spout. In eithereventjithasibeen'foundtheu because of the peculiar loading of this swivel connection the hearing members wear out rapidly. Theyfla're, of course, subjected to a 'great deal of abrasionby the dirtand dustparticles and thus far it has beenvery difficult to maintain 'the 'bearings in good condition. v y

it is the purpose of my invention to provide a novel "support means whereby hearings in the header spout to header'connectionare relieved loftheitriernendous load of the heatler and the tendency to tip .is taken up by additional bearing members so located as to be substaritia lly free of the accumulation of "dust and abrasive material that interfere with the bearings normally used.

The nature andadvantages ofmy invention will appear more fully from the following descriptionand the accompanying drawings wherein the application of my invention is illustrated in two equivalent forms. The drawings and description are illustrative only, .however, and are not intended to "limit the invention except linsofaras it is' limited'byth'e claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view with parts broken away looking down on the header and header spout of the type to which my invention is applied.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front view with parts broken away and parts shown in section showing the connection between the header and the header spout with my invention applied thereto;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front view with parts broken away and with parts in section showing a modified construction of my invention;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 3 and on an enlarged scale;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 4 and on an enlarged scale; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken through one of the bearing members used in my invention on a plane which includes the axis of the bearing member.

Referring now to the drawings, the header to header spout connection shown in Figures 1 and 2 is-essentially like that of the Harp patent hereinbefore referred to wherein an outer annular ring member 10 is secured to the header frame 9 so as to support it and an inner channel shaped ring member 11 is secured to the header spout 8. The members 10 and 11 are concentric and as shown in the Harp patent above referred to, there are bearing members carried by the ring member 10 that ride in the-channel of the ring member 11. The header is turned or rotated with respect. to the header spout by a ,jack 7 which is opposed by a spring 6. The drive mechanism for the header embodies a drive chain 5 and shafting indicated at 4to operate the various parts of the header which have to be driven. It Will be observed that the weight of the header is practically all forward with respect to the connectionbetween the ring members 10 and 11. This imposes a tremendous strain on the bearing members. The swivel connection establishedby these members accumulates dirt from the field and it is very diflicult to obtain access to the bearings. The result is that the bearings have a very short life and they are diflicult to replace.

.According to my invention I .provide means for eliminating most of the excessive strain on the bearings due to the unbalanced loading .in such a .way the :bearings can be allowed to perform their normal function under much lighter load and act really as guides and not as load carryingmerribers. .In order to .accomplish this result, I provide one of the ring members 149 or 1.1 with an arcuate ledge on both sides and .I provide the other ring member with 'free running rollers riding on .the ledges. As illustrated in Figures 3 and '5, the innerI-ing memberlll which is channel shaped, hasfledges 12 .and .13 thereon. These ledges are placed at the-outer rim of the .ehannel shaped ring member "11 and are extended .far enough from the top center of the ring member 11 in both directions around the ring member 11 to support .rollers .14 and 15 within the limits to which 'the header frame 9 may turn with respect to the spout8. Theouterring-rnember 10 of the swivel connection is strengthened by an inverted channel shaped ,piece :16 .and the .rollers 14 and 15 have their stub shafts 17 and 18 =bolted to theiouter ring member ltl where'it is strengthenedb'ythe piece 16. The'ledges 12 and 13 are reinforced by .gussets .19 that arewel'dedin place.

The equivalent formof the. invention shown in Figures 4 and 6 utilizes the samerollers 1.4 and .15.but .in .this case the .inner channel shaped .ring .member .11 is reinforced by bars 20 and the shafts 17 :and 18 0f the rollers 14 and T5 are threaded .into the.members .20 at theto'p of the ring member 11 on the header spout 8. The ring member 10 is provided with ledges 21 and 22 extending forwardly and rearwardly from this member and the ledges are reinforced by gussets 23% and 24 which are welded in place. In this case the rollers 14 and 15 support the ledges 21 and 22 and the Weight of the header is transmitted from the ledges 21 and 22 down through the rollers to the ring member 11 which is mounted on the header spout. In the form of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 5, the rollers 14 and 15 ride on the ledges 12 and 13, the rollers in this case being carried by the ring member 10 on the header and transmitting their load to the ring member 11 which is fixed to the header spout.

With my invention applied to the connection between the header and spout of the combine, whether it be in the form shown in Figures 3 and 5 or the form shown in Figures 4 and 6, the weight of the header is primarily borne by the rollers 14 and 15 and the ledges 12, 13, or 21 and 22. These rollers are not only load supports but, being set forward of and rearwardly of the ring members 10 and 11, they prevent tilting of one ring member 3 with respect to the other. the ring members 10 and 11 are relieved of the binding action that the tilting caused. The bearing units 25, being oifset to the right and the left of the vertical center line 55 in Figure 3 and 6-6 in Figure 4 of the header to header spout connection oppose any swing of the header about this center line due to greater opposition to advance at one end or the other of the header. The combination of the supporting rollers 14 and 15 with the ring members 10 and 11 and their internal bearing units 25 therefore provides a stable, long life connection between the header spout and the header.

The rollers 14 and 15 are constructed as illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings. The outer shell 26 of the bearing is carried by a roller bearing 27 which is pressed on the stub shafts 17 and 18. These shafts have provision at their outer ends for oiling as indicated at 28.

The rollers 14 and 15 are exposed where they are readily serviced and where dirt cannot accumulate between them and the ledges with which they engage.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a header to separator connector of a harvester wherein the header has a part which is rotatably mounted upon a part affixed to the separator for rotation about an axis extending transverse to the header, the improvement comprising two ledges aflixed to one of the parts above said axis and having bearing surfaces concentrically The bearing units between curved about said axis, one ledge being extended for wardly from the part and the other ledge being extended rearwardly from the part, and two rollers journalled on the other part on axes parallel to said axis, one roller bearing on one of said surfaces and the other roller bearing on the other surface.

2. In a header to separator connection of a harvester wherein the header has a part which is rotatably mounted upon a part aflixed to the separator for rotation about an axis extending transverse to the header by a pair of ring members, one ring member being on the part affixed to the separator, the other ring member being on the part afiixed to the header, and bearings interposed between said ring members laterally outward from the axis, the improvement comprising a forwardly extending ledge on the ring member on the part affixed to the separator, said ledge being curved concentrically with the last named ring member and mounted thereon, a shaft secured to the other ring member and extending over the ledge, and a roller journalled on the shaft, said roller riding on the ledge and rolling thereon as the header turns on said axis with respect to the separator.

3. In a header to separator connection of a harvester wherein the header has a part which is rotatably mounted upon a part afiixed to the separator for rotation about an axis extending transverse to the header by a pair of ring members, one ring member being on the part afi'ixed to the separator, the other ring member being on the part afiixed to the header, and bearings interposed between said ring members laterally outward from the axis, the improvement comprising a forwardly extending ledge on the ring member on the part affixed to the header, said ledge being curved concentrically with the last named ring member and mounted thereon, a shaft secured to the other ring member and extending beneath the ledge, and a roller journalled on the shaft, said roller engaging the ledge and supporting it as the header turns on said axis with respect to the separator.

4. In a header to separator connection of a harvester wherein the header has a part which is rotatably mounted upon a part affixed to the separator for rotation about an axis extending transverse to the header by a pair of ring members, one ring member being on the part afiixed to the separator, the other n'ng member being on the part aflixed to the header, and bearings interposed between said ring members laterally outward from the axis, the improvement comprising a forwardly extending ledge on the ring member on the part affixed to the separator, said ledge being curved concentrically with the last named ring member and mounted thereon, a shaft secured to the other ring member and extending over the ledge, a roller journalled on the shaft, said roller riding on the ledge and rolling thereon as the header turns on said axis with respect to the separator, a rearwardly extending ledge on the ring member on the part affixed to the separator, said ledge being curved concentrically with the last named ring member, a shaft secured to the other ring member and extending over the last mentioned ledge and a roller journalled on the last mentioned shaft.

5. In a header to separator connection of a harvester wherein the header has a part which is rotatably mounted upon a part aflixed to the separator for rotation about an axis extending transverse to the header by a pair of ring members, one ring member being on the part affixed to the separator, the other ring member being on the part atfixed to the header, and bearings interposed between said ring members laterally outward from the axis, the improvement comprising a rearwardly extending ledge on the ring member on the part aflixed to the separator, said ledge being curved concentrically with the last named ring member and mounted thereon, a shaft secured to the other ring member and extending beneath the ledge, and a roller journalled on the shaft, said roller engaging the ledge and rolling thereon.

Harp July 10, 1956 Kroll et al. Feb. 12, 1957 

